On a very cold evening in northern Virginia many yean ago, an old man was waiting for a ride across the
river. Anxiously (焦急地), he watched as several horsemen passed by, then another. Finally, the last rider
came to the place where the old man sat. As this one drew near, the old man caught the rider's eyes and said,
"Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side?"
     Reining (勒隹缰绳) his horse, the rider replied, "Sure." Seeing the old man was unable to lift his half-frozen
(冻得半僵的) body from the ground, the rider got off the horse and helped the old man onto it. He took the
old man not only across the river, but also to his house, which was just a few miles away.
     As they came to his house, the rider's curiosity (好奇心) caused him to ask the old man, "Sir, I noticed
that you let several other riders pass by without asking for help. Then I came up and you immediately asked
me for a ride. What would happen if I had refused and left you there?"
     The old man lowered himself slowly down from the horse, looked the rider straight in the eyes and replied,
I've been there for some time. I think I know people well. I looked into the eyes of the other riders and
immediately saw there was no worry about my situation. It would have been useless even to ask them for a
ride. But when I looked into your eyes, I saw kindness and compassion (同情)? I knew you would give me
a hand."
     Those words moved the rider deeply. He said to the old man, "I am very grateful for what you have said.
May (但愿) I never get too busy with my own things that I fail to help others with kindness and compassion."

1. The old man found that the last rider was _____.

A. unhelpful
B. kind and helpful
C. curious and active
D. indifferent (漠不关心的)

2. What did the last rider do after the old man asked him to give him a ride?

A. He refused the old man at first.
B. He only took the old man across the river.
C. He took the old man to his house at last.
D. He asked the old man to get on the horse himself.

3. The old man let several other riders pass by without asking for help because _____.

A. he was so frozen that he couldn't say a word
B. he was too nervous to ask them for help
C. he couldn't see kindness and compassion in their eyes
D. he didn't want to accept their help at all

4. By saying "May I never get too busy with my own things that I fail to help others with kindness and
    compassion.", the last rider means _____.

A. he will try to help others whole-heartedly (全心全意地) from now on even if he is busy
B. he will never get too busy in his own things any longer
C. he wasn't willing to help others with kindness and compassion in the past
D. he failed to help others in the past because he was not very kind